We're not used to seeing mountains ...they were a beautiful backdrop to the blue waters...
As always a few other ships in port....
A very kind lady took our picture....
We thought this was funny...we have a Sharky's!!!
Lots of action on the pier.....
We had booked a 3rd party tour so we headed out ot meet him....he was excatly where he said he'd be...in his nice Navigator and off we went to see the island...this island is approx 33 miles total...and it was just amazing to me that in just 33 miles it was like 2 countries. The French side governed by France and the Dutch side governed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Our ship came into the Dutch side, so this is a sign where we are crossing into the French side. Everytime you cross back and forth they each have up these big sign....how can this be in just 33 miles on an island??? The sides are very different, and even use different money. I was surprised we didn't have to get passports checked each time.
A beutiful bay....
Wow...not a bad view....
Lovely beach and mountains...
The Beach Man wasn't here today...but he has these things out for folks to see and touch...
The Fitzroy got this right out of the water,,,,,,
So cool to watch to move...felt weird in your hand....
When that urchin dies and dries up it looks like this....
Fitzroy our guide in the red shirt chatting with a friend at the beach hut.
On to see the Iguana's.....
There is usually an Iguana Man here... but he wasn't today..but we still had plenty of action..
So wild how they change colors to hide...see that one on the tree limb??
Wicked looking....
We wanted to go see Orient Bay but there was a strike on the French side in that tourist area so we couldn't get there.... we had to go a different way to see other parts of the French side.
This was the cops stopping folks from coming down the road.....
So our guy crossed back across the border and went a different way so we could see the city of Marigot.
These 2 fancy vesels belonged to one very rich man that comes here every winter.
This was an oil tanker at the refinery....
Back to the French side..
We'd been in the vehicle a while at this point and needed a break....so when we got to Marigot we got some time to have a snack at a French Bakery and shop a little at the open market.
Now we are next to the marina we just saw from the hill top...
Lots of $$$ in boats here......
A new bridge to help with traffic flow....Fitzroy said it has been great.
The black Pelican is the state bird and is displayed ont he way to the airport....
There small but nice airport....and that put us very close to ....
Maho Bay/Beach...or Airport Beach....see the sign warning you?? This is back on the Dutch side...you cros back and forth a lot.
It's a very tight road between the beach and the runway...we were not there at the right time to see a plane land, but because that's what folks come to see there is a board posting the flight times....
It's a beautiful bay....just gets a few noisey landings.....but it is a very short beach.
You can see the beach and the runway in this pic....we missed a landing, but was still cool to seee.
As we headed back to the car I noticed the 2 sides even have different license plates...wow!!
The Dutch...
The French...
We drove around to this lovely and very expensive shopping indoor mall. Fitzroy said it's so expensive folks won't go and they are begging for more shops to come in....humm...wonder what it will become when it might close its doors??!!
And....back to the Dutch side....some border crossings were fancier than others...
As close as we got to Orient Bay....
Time for a little shopping and lunch.....
Guavaberry store....thought we might get some good Guava stuff, but after a few samples decided not to...
It's legendary, just not to us.....
We were not in the market for jewelry which is what most of the shops are, but i did find some really good chocolate...then we headed to an area called The Boardwalk....was so nice. It was right next to beach. You could shop, eat and enjoy the view....kinda like Venice Beach in Calif.
These were fake.....but I bet they cook real ones like this....
We found Taloula Mango's that Fitzroy told us had the best Caribbean Lobster....not to mentoion a great view.
And a fun band right across from the front porch of the restaurant.....
It was good....they don't have claws...but the body meat was yummy. NOT cheap but good!
Time to head back to the ship....this was on the pier....
If you missed any shopping you could do it on the pier....
Denny wanted you all to see our new yacht..
It's a beauty........
Then a little bon voyage music...and it was time to go
So long St. Maarten and Saint Martin!!
We hurried to our cabin and dropped our junk...grabbed some wine and parked ourselves in some great chairs on the back of the ship....from there we watched many folks running to make it back, what a hoot...there's always some.....
Neat small local ship that just sails to these islands....hummm...maybe.
and away we go....2 days at sea...
Tonight we were sched to see the Ice skating show...it was amazing...
Was based on the stories by Hans Christian Anderson...since I don't know them as well, was a little harder to follow, but the talent/skating was amazing.
We wandered around a bit, there's always something going on...this bar that moves up and down across 3 decks was cool..
Pretty cool bar.....
Had been a great busy day...time for bed!!!
Next 2 days sailing and slow.....
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